Editor: Dr Saul Issroff
Copyright © 2001 Saul Issroff, Mike Getz, SAfrica SIG
and Jewishgen Inc.
URL: http://www.jewishgen.org/SAfrica/synagogues/22/index.htm
Date: 17 April 2001

On 5 April 2001, Dr Saul Issroff wrote: ...   The Barberton congregation was started in 1883 ( Herrmann, p.237). In 1891 Rev. Wolfers (from Jews' College) was Rabbi of the newly formed Johannesburg congregation (Herrman, p. 240) 1889 first Jewish school in Barberton, Rev. Wolfers (Saron and Hotz p 159.   p.172 Saron and Hotz.. ' Barberton : Gold discovered 1884, by 1887 20,000 Europeans living here. Said to include 1,000 Jews, this figure has been strenuously disputed and it is said that there were never more than 200 in the area, only 70 in Barberton proper. Congregation formed and services held as early as 1886 High Festivals . March 1889 Rev. Wolfers arrived from England to take up his position. 1890 depression had set in and most of the community left the area for Johannesburg. Nevertheless a Zionist Society was formed in 1898 in Barberton!   Ref to a letter by Rev. Wolfers to JC London Feb. 1905 to Paul Kruger opening the new synagogue in JHB with reference to 'in the name of our lord Jesus Christ. Both affirmed and denied.   By 1967/8 Barberton had 4 Jewish families with 14 Jewish souls.

On 4 April 2001, Estelle Wolfers ewolfers@tesco.net wrote: [After his time in South Africa] he seems to have served a succession of small communities - Hanley in Staffordshire, Swansea and Cardiff, before founding a Jewish boarding school in Margate, Kent, which eventually failed - my husband's aunt remembers using 'Margate Jewish College' crockery and cutlery at home as a child.   Rev. Philip died in Westcliff in Essex in 1928. Rev. Philip Wolfers